


Two Graves

by ShadeofGreen



Series: Fan Fics Written before (or after) Royal's Release [4]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Ficlet, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 06:15:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18565600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeofGreen/pseuds/ShadeofGreen
Summary: If one has plans for revenge, there needs to be two graves.





	Two Graves

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse any spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and any canon/continuity errors.

No one bother to visit Mother’s grave. Not her friends, not her parents, no one. Nowadays, it’s just Goro and the birds. Goro thinks her grave was bigger when he was younger. Then again, he was just a small child back then. Everything was bigger to a child. The bed he lived in after moving out of his home, the clothes given to him; everything was bigger, and it felt **wrong**.

Goro places his gloved hand onto the stone. Truth to be told, even he doesn’t have a chance to visit Mother as much as he likes. Ever since receiving his powers, Goro visited her less than before. At first, it was because Goro needed to formulate his plan of justice while figuring out his powers. Combining that with finishing middle school, Goro could only visit her once a week. When he did, Goro would tell her about how he was going to give Masayoshi Shido the punishment he deserved.

_Not only for you, but for me as well._

The excuses changed after Shido decided to let Goro work for him. Balancing high school, Shido’s and his loyal member’s demands, his double life as a detective, and his temporary joining of the Phantom Thieves took even more of Goro’s precious time for visiting mother. Her grave became unattended, uncared for, and ultimately abandoned.

“I’m sorry for not visiting you lately,” says Goro somberly, his gloved hand still on the stone. “I didn’t mean to leave you alone for this long. I hope you forgive me. I got a little sidetrack due to recent events.”

The birds one by one, started to fly away. Maybe they’re flying back to their families, or maybe to another location elsewhere. Certainly, they’re flying to a better place than here.

“But don’t worry.” Goro makes his voice more cheerful, despite knowing no one is listening. “Things will go back as plan. Eventually, you won’t be alone for long. It’s still going to be a while, but believe me when I say you’ll be seeing someone you love. I know you won’t be happy with it, but trust me when I say this is the only way you can finally be at peace.”

Goro removes his hand, and takes off both of his gloves. Digging a small hole into the dirt, he places his gloves in there, and buries them. It’s strange how the dirt is warm, despite the cold winter weather.

“Well, goodbye Mom. I’ll see you again soon.”

Goro doubts he would need those gloves again.

~~~

It took over six years, but he finally found the grave. The grave has been unattended for who know how long. Plants have taken over it, but with a bit of strength, the man manages to get rid of them all. For a minute, maybe the man thought he found the wrong grave. After all, it’s not like Akechi’s belongings left clues to where his mother was buried. What he had to go on was from Futaba’s research, and even she admitted her information could have been wrong.

His heart rises in relief when he saw the name as clear as day. Staring at it could only make the young man wonder why the grave’s condition was it is. Did no one bother to visit her? Not her friends, not her parents? Was Akechi the only one who bothered to care and visit?

In some ways, it’s quite admirable for a son to be so devoted to his mother. It was twisted by revenge, but the man knows it was love that was keeping Akechi to continue on. The man is certain she was the only person who Akechi truly loved with all his heart.

It doesn’t mean it was an excuse though. The man will never truly forgive Akechi for everything he did. Akechi ruined so many people’s lives -killed so many people- just for the sake of his mother, for his justice. Akechi even tried to kill him for goodness sake, and that plan failed only because of luck. But if the man has to be honest with himself, despite everything...

“I think I could have saved your son.”

The man bends down, and runs his hand over the name. There he spots a small lump of dirt. Curious, the man digs it up. Who could have buried something, thinking it will go unnoticed?

The man widens his eyes as he sees a familiar pair of black gloves. Despite the conditions they were in, they were still wearable, if tight. The man couldn’t help but chuckle. Akechi was only maybe an inch taller than him, and the man thought he could have wore them with ease if he tried. Oh, how wrong is he. The man wiggles his fingers, and then frowns.

Of course the gloves would be a tight fit. He grew a few inches within the last several years. No more was he the young teenager, unlike Akechi. Still frowning at the revelations, the man removes the gloves, and places them back into the hole.

_This is the least I can do for Akechi._

The gloves were not and will never be his to keep. This was the closest thing Akechi has to a grave. The man knew better than to disrespect it. As the man starts to rebury the gloves, he could only think how tragic –but fitting- that this is how Akechi’s justice ended.

After all, if one has plans for revenge, there needs to be two graves.


End file.
